Taximeter.



4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

TAXIMBTEB.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. zo, 1909.

R. G. POPP.

1i. G. POPP.

TAXIMETEB.

` APPLICATION FILED APBHZO, `1909. 1,01 6,518. 'Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

far/27477;

yum.

R. G. POPP.

TAXIMETEB.

APPLICATION FILED unzo, 1909..

Patented Feb. 6, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

R. G. POPP.

TAXIMETEB..

PPLIOATIoljI FILED AP11.zo,19o9.

1,016,518. Paten-ted Feb. 6, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

4To all whom fit my-concern:

.UNITED s TATEs OFFICE.

"cno'ncnsrorr, .or rams, ramon. .assrenon'ro 'man summum mas ocurran-as nnlvorrunns (TAXIMETBESJ'OI rams, FRANOE. 'A'coRPonATIoN "0I TRANCE.

'Patente-a Fens, '1912.

'Application ma apmlao, 190e. serial m. acuosa.

Be it .lrn'own that I, RICHARD GEoRGEs POP?, 1citizen of the French Republic, .fresiding at Paris, Department rof the Seme, in France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Iin Tax-imeters; and I` do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and 'exact-descri tion vof the invention, such as will enable ot 'ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention has for its object a checking apparatus for taximeters whlch -serves to record the different conditions under which't'he vehicle runs, such as the times of departure and arrival for each journey, the .number of -hirings and so forth. The record is made upon a sheet of paper and it is vonly necessary to inspect this in Vorder to `checking apparatus by a Popp taximeter."

Fi 6a shows in elevation the `,general lrelation of the checking apparatus to a Popp taximeter. Fig. 7shows the combination of the checking apparatus with a Bruhn taximeter. Fig. 8 shows the manner in which the apparatus is operated inthe case ofa Schneider taximeter.

A flexible shaft-section 1 operated by the wheels of the vehicle is connected with the .carries a cam-12, presenting a notch 13 and ja projection 14, diametrically opposite to A sleeve 15 loosely mounted .on the shafty 9 is rigidly connected with a lever 16, one of the extremities 17 of which is connected with the taximeter by an appropriate transmission member, while the other extremity carries a shaft 1'8 upon which atwo1armed lever 19 rocks; yone of these arms is 'provided with an adjustable screw 20 which contacts with the -cam `12, while the other arm carries a tap et 21 which strikes against a tappet 22 solld witha sleeve 23, which is itself mountedloosely on the shaft 9. With its extremity carrying the stylus 26 Vthe Ihand 25 is rigidly connected with av sleeve` which is xed to the sleeve A23bymeans'ofa screw 27. This screw ena'bles the .position of the Vhand' tobe regulated once for all, 4by fixing the sleeve 24 upon vthe sleeve 23.

rllhe disks of paper '28'upon which the stylus 26 marks, are arranged upon'the dial 29 where they are held 1by 'the nut 30 (Fig. 3) which is screwed upon the spindle 231 of the dial.

The spindle 31 forms part of a clockwork mechanism 71, which is inclosed in the box and drives the dial through the connections described. For example the speed may .be such that this dial makes a `complete .revolution every 24 hours. In this case the-disks of paper are 'provided with twenty-four radial divisions (Fig. 6) the ldistance separating two consecutive radii correspondingto a period of one hour.

A spring 32 invariably tends torapply the tappet 21 .to the bent lever 22'; under the influence of a spring 42 another purpose-of which is hereinafter explained, and' which tends to bringv the arm 22 toward the fixed pint 43, lthe screw 20 always remains in cciaslact with the cam A1.2 which produces at each revolution of 'this cam two successive displacements of the hand 25 in `opposite directions the first corresponding to the passage in the cavity 13 fand the second :to the passage over 'the projection 14.

In the case of a '-lopp taximeter, the checking apparatus isconnected with the flag of the taximeter in the Ifollowing manner. The chain 33 is vfixed to the extremity .17 of the'lever 16 and also to the rod 34 (Fig. 6) by 'the intermediary of a threaded sleeve 35 which enables its tension to be regulated. The rod 34 is pivoted at 36 to a bent lever 37 mounted on a shaft 38 and the l arm 39 -of this lever bears upon a cam 40 .keyed on the :flag shaft 41. This Vcam presents The spring 42 (Fig. 1) fixed at 43 tends to lift the lever 22 and by the intermediary of the ta pet 21 of the lever 19, one extremity of whlch as already stated rests upon the cam 12, and also of the lever 19 it exerts traction upon the small chain 33 which insures contact between the arm 39 andthe cam 40.` The spring 42 likewise tends to move the hand 25 in the direction indicated by the arrow w. The result is thatfor each position of lthe flag one of the faces of the cam 40 will come opposite the arm 39 thereby causing a corresponding displacement of the rod 34, chain 33, lever 16, and finally of the stylus 26 on the hand 25.

The dial being constantly in movement the stylus will make a mark situated at a greater or less distance from the splndle 3 1, according to the face of the cam which 1s 1n contact with the arm 39.

If the vehicle is running, the flexible transmission drives the shaft 2 which for a given distance (two kilometers for example) causes the wheel 8 to effect a complete revolution and with it the shaft 9 and the cam 12; at each half revolution, that is to say, in the example here selected, at every kilometer the cam 12 acts upon the hand 25 and the stylus 26 and draws on one side or the other of the circle that it traverses, small radial lines 44 (Fig. 5) of the same amplitude whatever ma be the radius of the arc of a circle descrlbed, because the .action of the cam 12 is independent of the position-of the hand 25.

The diagram represented in Fig. 5 shows the small lines drawn by the stylus carried by the hand. In the exam le selected these lines lmay occupy five di erent positions, corresponding to the five faces of the cam 40 and consequently to the five positions of the flag disengaged tariffs 1, 2, 3 and break down the position disengaged corresponding to the position closest to the outer edge of the disk. Obviously an examination of this diagram will readily show the number of kilometers traversed b avehicle in a given time; to do this it 1s only necessary to count the number of small radial lines. The number of kilometers traversed on each tariff can likewise be ascertained. If the time of starting is known, that is tosay, the time corresponding to the initial osition of the hand, if the total duration of) the rotation of the disk is also known, the time of each hiring, of each stoppage, and so forth can be found.

Fig. 7 illustrates the combination of the checking apparatus with a Bruhn taximeter.

The shaft 55 for laltering the tariff which is operated by means of a handle 67 in this case carries a disk 56 in which three notches are formed; of these notches 57 d 58 are diametrically opposite and are -o the same depth while the third notch 59 which is deeper is arranged at 90 to the others.

The taximeter carries a bent lever 60 one of the arms of which carries a finger 61, which like the finger 31 when the apparatus is fitted to the Popp taximeter. (Flg. 6) 1s held permanently 1n contact with the edge of the disk 56. The lever 60 is pivoted to a rod 33 which is connected with the extremity 17x of the lever 17 of the checking apparatus.

In the case of the Bruhn taximeter, the shaft 2 which carries the endless screw 7 isconnected by a resilient joint 63 with a shaft 64, which receives the movement of the fiexible transmission 69 by means of a bevel gear The rotation of the handle 67 for altering the tariff enables four different positions to be given to the disk 56; the rod 33 thus assumes a given position according to the part of the disk whlch is in contact with the fin.

distance tariff respectively, and the t-hirdY to Payment or Distance These two positions might also be distinguished by making the notches 57 58 of different depths.

Fig. 8 shows the application of the-checking apparatus to a Schneider taximeter. In this case the fiag 68 is keyed directly upon the notched disk 56. The transmission is effected by means of a bent lever 60 which as in the case of the Bruhn taximeter acts upon a rod 33 connected with the checking apparatus.

In the case of va J apy taximeter, the hand is operated in the same manner, the only difference being that the disk 56 is provided with two notches only corresponding to the distance and 4time distance tariffs.

In order to render the check still more certain, a trembler may be added to the apparatus; this trembler marks upon the disk of paper a continuous line when the vehicle is at rest and a sinuousline such as 54 (Fig. 5) when the vehicle is running.

The trembler device represented in the accompanying drawing by way of example comprlses two lugs 45 fixed to /the cover 46 of the apparatus and between which there is mounted a shaft 47 which carries a lever 48 provided at its extremity with a slot 49 in which there moves a slide 50 supported by a` screw 51 and carrying a stylus 52 held upon the disk of paper by a leaf spring 53 fixed to the cover and pressing against the lever 48. When the vehicle isat rest the point 52 remains stationary but the vibrations of the motor or the jolts to which 'the vehicle is subjected produce thex displacement of the slide 50 and the'line drawn has a sinuous form. c

If a driver should detach or break the fiexible transmission of the vehicle the want' flag,

of agreement between the two indications upon the disk would enable the fraud to be discovered.

I claim:

1. The combination with a taximeter having means to indicate the conditions under which the vehicle is operated, of means to mount a recording element, and a single means coacting with said indicating means to record automatically on such recording element the adjustment of said indicating means and the distance traveled by the vehicle. l

2. The combination with a taximeter having flag mechanism, of a checking attachment coacting-with said flag mechanism, having continuously rotated means to support a record disk, and embodying a single means to record on such disk, by a continuous line runnin at different distances from the center of t e disk, the different positions of the and to record the distance traveled by Y the vehicle by short marks extending laterally from Such continuous line.

3. The combination with a taximeter having iag mechanism, of a checking attachment coacting with said mechanism embodying means to mount a record disk, a single marker coacting with such disk,- and means to effect automatically different movenents of the marker to indicate the adjustment of the iag and the distance ltraveled by the vehicle, respectively.

4. The comblnationv with a taximeter having fiag mechanism, of a checking attachment for the taximeter coacting with said mechanism and comprising means to rotate a recorddisk, and a Single means to record automatically on such disk the adjustment of the flag mechanism and the distance traveled by the vehicle.

5. The combination with a taximeter having flag mechanism, of a checking attachment' for said taximeter comprising clock mechanism to rotate a record disk, a marker to bear against such disk, means to move the marker with respect to the disk t0 thereby record the distance traveled by the vehicle, and other means coacting with the flag mechanism, to move the marker with respect to the disk to record the adjustment` of the Hag mechanism. n 6. The combination with a taximeter havmg flag mechanism, of a checking attach-` ment for said taximeter comprising means to rotate a record disk, a marker to bear against said disk, a connection between the iag mechanism and said marker whereby the latter is moved with respect to the disk, to thereby record the adjustment of the flag mechanism, and means acting on the marker to movethe same slightly away from the line drawn on the disk as the latter rotates, to thereby record the distance traveled by the vehicle.

7. The combination with a taximeter having flag mechanism, of a checking attachment therefor, comprising means to rotate a record disk, a marker to bear against said disk, whereby a line is drawn around the rotating disk, a connection between said marker and said iag mechanism whereby the record line is drawn at different distances from the center of the disk in accordance with different operating conditions of the vehicle, an operating shaft for the taximeter, and means actuated by said shattto move the marker laterally away from the record line once in a predetermined-number of rotations of said shaft.

8. The combination with a checking attachment for taximeters comprising means to mount a continuously rotated record disk, a marking hand to bear against su'ch disk, and means driven by the movement of the vehicle to give the marking hand a small substantially radial movement when the vehicle has traveled a predetermined distance, y

of a taximeter having flag mechanism, and a connection between said iag mechanism and the marking hand by which the latter is automatically moved toward and away from the center of the record disk.

9. A checking attachment for taximeters comprising means to mount a continuously rotated record disk, and a trembler device comprising a spring pressed lever urged toward the face of such disk, and a freely displaceable slide guided in the lever and carrying a stylus or marker to bear against the record disk.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

RICHARD GEORGES IOPP. 

